Redding woman bags five-point elk, makes cover of regs booklet

Friday

Aug 24, 2012 at 2:00 AM

Amanda Alexander not only is the cover girl for all that is Oregon big-game hunting, she's also the poster face for successful hunting on public lands. Alexander, of Redding, Calif., is on the cover of 2012 Oregon Big Game Regulations booklet with a five-point Rocky Mountain elk she shot in northeast Oregon in 2010.

By Mark Freeman

Amanda Alexander not only is the cover girl for all that is Oregon big-game hunting, she's also the poster face for successful hunting on public lands. Alexander, of Redding, Calif., is on the cover of 2012 Oregon Big Game Regulations booklet with a five-point Rocky Mountain elk she shot in northeast Oregon in 2010.

Alexander followed that up last year with another elk. Along with the two shot in consecutive years by her husband, Ira, the Alexanders have bagged four elk in two consecutive years of general-season hunting with over-the-counter archery tags.

The elk on the cover was taken in the Starkey Unit.

Alexander is joined on this year's cover by Natalie Sutter with a mule deer buck she killed in the Fossil Unit in 2010. Sutter, from Mitchell, is an ODFW employee, and a family member submitted the photo, says Michelle Dennehy, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's Wildlife Division spokeswoman.

The hunting regulations synopsis is now available at license outlets and at ODFW offices statewide.

The photographs on the cover were picked from a pile of public photo submissions, Dennehy says.

Photo submissions of hunting, fishing and wildlife viewing are welcomed at odfw.web@state.or.us.

A stretch of the Pacific Crest Trail on the Klamath National Forest has been temporarily closed north of Seiad Valley, Calif., to ensure public safety while crews battle the nearby Goff Fire.

Hikers and horseback riders are being rerouted along a detour that will remain in effect until the Goff fire is fully suppressed and fire managers consider the area safe.

The PCT in that area runs along a ridgeline that fire managers consider a perfect location for a contingency fire line — a back-up line should flames jump the main line there. Also, a single day's winds could push the fire across the PCT, endangering trail-users, Klamath Forest Supervisor Patricia Grantham said in a statement.

The trail closure runs from where it bisects Highway 96 at Seiad Valley north at Lily Pad Lake, a stretch of about 9 miles.

The detour runs along Seiad Creek Road and Forest Road No. 48N20 to Cook and Green Pass. At that point, hikers can rejoin the PCT by heading east.

For a detour map and information about camping options, resupply opportunities and even public transportation, see www.Inciweb.org and then select "California" and then "Fort Complex."